The Walker’s Posture

The revelation came on Labor Day Weekend. The surprise came as most surprises do with an unexpected behavior. The beach was overflowing with people watching on the Saturday before Labor Day because the following days were to be dark and stormy. Everyone was out on Saturday, probably because of the looming weather forecast, or perhaps because Marco might have the best beach in the world. Saturday was the day, however, when the secret of The Walker’s Posture came out like a long lost mystery that finally stepped out in the open.

When a group of friends and family is out on a boat and moving along a river, everyone is waving at other boats, festive and happy to be on an adventure together. What is revealing, however, is the walk to the boat.

During the journey to the boat is when many differences in The Walker’s Posture become obvious. One personality type will take charge of provisions. Even though the day on the water might last only a few hours, the providing personalities believe they are preparing for an ocean voyage that will last many days. Many others believe that three overflowing coolers packed with ice, sandwiches, drinks, and every type of snack ever invented is too much for a simple day of boating.

The revealing of The Walker’s Posture will take place between the vehicles that provided the transportation to the dock and the waiting boats. From the car to the boat, someone will be loaded down carrying the coolers - normally not the personalities that packed the coolers - but this will be the opposing personalities that believe three coolers and enough supplies to fill half a Walmart might be nearing the definition of ridiculous.

During the trudging of the caravan of supplies, The Walker’s Posture begins to emerge. The carriers of the coolers and equipment will be head down, huffing and puffing, and trying to cover the resentful distance as fast as possible, while the others without a heavy load to carry will be constantly lecturing everyone on the essential wisdom of having enough provisions to last the day. The Walker’s Posture of these folks will be heads up and walking carefully to supervise those carrying the coolers and the rest of the boating gear. Once the boats are loaded and underway, not much information is available because The Walker’s Posture and the ambulatory body language is temporarily at a standstill because everyone is sitting down.

On the beach, however, and especially during the previous holiday weekend - or on any busy weekend on the beach - The Walker’s Posture is much more easily revealed simply because of the different personality types and the roles the opposing personalities are much easier to identify when they are moving.

Our story truly begins with the observations of a Marco Beach Boy and Girl as they were sitting under the shade of a large umbrella and watching the different walking postures during the most recent Labor Day weekend. After a few moments of people watching, the Marco Beach couple agreed - this was better than Netflix!

The first walking posture was easy to identify because of the obvious role of the convincer. This is a posture that usually happens with only two people. The first person will be walking with their eyes forward; their stride determined to cover ground and not waste any time. This person is clearly steadfast with their mind visibly made up about an unknown topic. The second person is the convincer and will be walking fast to keep up, but also talking non-stop and motioning with their hands. The convincer will have an eager face turned toward the strider who obviously needs convincing of something.

This could be a mom as the strider, with a teenage boy trailing alongside as the obvious convincer. “It’s okay, Mom, if I go to the concert in Miami with the other kids. I’ll be fine.”

The second walking posture might include several people walking together. In most groups, one person will be walking slightly ahead of the others. This person will be talking and lecturing or giving advice that others might want - or not want to hear - but The Walker’s Posture is easy to recognize. The strider in the front is clearly the leader and the others - most often - follow the leader in different spacing, which defines their role of self-importance within the walking group.

The third walking posture on the most recent Labor Day weekend was clearly the most defining, but also one that was troubling. The third group was obviously a family. The wife and mother was walking in front with three screaming kids following at a pecking order interval clearly determined by age, size, and mobility over the uneven sand. Finally, the husband and father was following his family in an obvious reluctant obedience and submission as he trailed along carrying an unbelievable amount of coolers and beach gear. The wife and mom, however, was dominating every action as she was striding forward along the beach with the searching eyes of a conquering general. She was clearly oblivious to all three of the screaming kids, as she seemed to be trying to outpace them. Her beleaguered husband, however, as he grudgingly continued to follow, at even further distance from the mom to the kids, was clearly giving the impression in the deepness of his stride, and his strive for sanity and survival, that he was somehow entertaining a fantasy of escape.

However, as the Marco Beach Boy and Girl were watching the conquering general of a wife and the mother of the three little human tornadoes, The Walker’s Posture gave the overwhelming impression the husband had as much hope for escape as a turtle in an ocean of quicksand.